Best available copy



BEST AVAILABLE COPY June 15,1965 T. A. EUCKELEW 3,183,653

SWIMMING POOL CLEANING DEVICES A FiledNov. 12, 1983 Thomas A. uce/ew Bnventor agent UnitedStates @arent 3,188,668 SWIMMING POOL CLEANING DEVICES Thomas A. Buckelew, 21 Milburn Court,

San Ramon Village, Calif. Filed Nov. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 322,996 Claims. (Cl. 151.7)

This invention relates to swimming pool equipment, and more particularly ytodevices for the removal of debris and other extraneous material from within the pool.

It is well known that outdoor swimming pools, especially those in more rustic surroundings, require continual attention if they are to be maintained in a condition such that a maximum of enjoyment in their use may be afforded. During winter months, many pool owners are pestered with sow bugs, angle worms, spiders, salamanders, water dogs, lizzards, rats and mice, which crawl into the pool and die. Trash and leaves are blown into the pool during bad weather. During the summer months, objects such as rubber bands, bobby pins, both metal and plastic, safety pins, pieces of rubber from bathing caps or swim fins, plastic sandals, coins, rocks, and etc., are left in the pool by many young swimmers. Most of these items sink and settle in the deep end of the pool, and requireV time and effort for their removal.

Skimmers and scoops of various designs are presently available for the removal of floating material, and material which is partly submerged or held in suspension below the surface of the water. Trash and objects, such as those listed above, which have found their way into the pool and have settled at the bottom thereof, must be removed by other-means. The removal of this material requires the use of either a scraping device or vacuum suction apparatus especially designed for the purpose. Presently available scraping tools are not entirely satisfactory due to the continuously changing angle presented by the leading edge of the scraping implement to the pool bottom.

objectionable scufiing and abrading of the surface of the pool bottom frequently takes place during the use of these scrapers. On the other hand, vacuum cleaning equipment is costly, is time consuming in its application, and has other inherent disadvantages such as the cleaning and maintaining of the equipment itself, and the storage of same, all of which render the use of vacuum cleaning apparatus in the nature of a nusiance.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a device which can be successfully used for the removal of all extraneous material from swimming pools.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device which is nonscuffing when used as a scraper` A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device, which when utilized as a scraper, is automatically adjustable whereby a nonchanging and most effective angle of scraping element is presented to the surface of the bottom of the pool for the most efficient removal of material which has settled thereon.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the type described, which is of light weight, simple construction, and which can be manufactured at relatively small cost.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description and appended claims, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof.

In the drawing:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of the complete device shown in the position it could assume when being used as a scraper.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary section showing the pivoted scraping element and one of the rollers, as seen from the inside of the device, and looking toward the oper- BEST AVAILABLE COPY 3,188,668 ICe Patented June 15, 1965 2 ators right, the device being in a horizontal position with the seraper'elc'ment fully extended.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view 4as seen from line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 g i FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary end elevation as viewed from line 4 4 of FIGURE 2. t

FIGURE 5 is a typicaltransverse section throughltlhe frame of the device, showing how the screen is secured in place. j

FIGURE 6 is a section similar to FIGURE 5 showing an alternate method of securing the screen to the frame.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a frame 10 of generally rectangular form, andbeing open at thefr'ont end thereof, is illustrated;. a handle 11, for manipulation of thedevice, being'attached at the other end of the said frame. As'the device`is of`symmetrical construction relative to the longitudinal median line thereof, further descriptive matter contained herein will apply equally to either side of said device.

In the illustrated embodiment, the main frame is of angle construction, the angle members forming the two sides and the rear end of the frame, 12 and 13 respectively, having vertical upstanding legs, and inwardly projecting horizontal legs, as is indicated by FIGURES 5 and 6.

The forward ends 14 of the side angles 12 have their horizontal legs cut away, as can be seen on FIGURE 3, to allow a pivotally mounted cross member or saddle 15 to be mounted between the said angles. The transverse portion of the cross member 15, which is of rectangular section, has its upper and lower surfaces coplanar with the upper and lower surfaces respectively of the horizontal legs of the side angles 12, when said cross member is in the position as is illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 4. Each end of the cross member 1S is turned upwardly to form a bracket 16, by means of which it can be mounted to, and swing freely between, the front ends 14 of the side angles 12.

Rollers or wheels 17 are mounted, one on each outer side of the angle ends 14, and are held in place by suitable screw or bolts such as are illustrated by 18 on the drawing. These screws 18, which are inserted into threaded holes in the angle ends 14, project through the inner side of the said angles, the projecting ends being utilized as pivotal mountings for the cross member 15.

Secured within the frame 10 is a wire mesh or screen 19which is supported on three of its edges by the horizontal legs of the angles 12 and 13, the front edge thereof being maintained in place on the upper side of the cross member 15. This screen 19 is firmly secured in place in the frame 10 by members 20, which may be of rectangular section, using screws as is illustrated by FIGURE 5, or it can be held down by means of a spring inserted clamping member 21 as shown on FIGURE 6. At the front end of the device, the screen 19 is securely attached to the cross member 15 by means of a transverse scraping lip or vane 22. The lip 22, which extends the entire inner length of the cross member 15, is ush with the rear edge thereof, but extends forwardly beyond the front edge of said cross member to provide a means of scooping up any material under which it may be slid.

Fastening of the lip 22 to the cross member 15 can be accomplished by means of bolts or rivets, not indicated, or in any other suitable manner.

Torsion springs 23, coiled around the -pintle ends of the screws 18, function to maintain the lip 22 in its normally extended position as shown by FIGURE 2. These springs, however, are of such limited tension as to offer no effective resistance to the free pivotal movement ot the lip 22 and its supporting member 15. The springs 23 are illustrated as being a preferred method of accom- 3 plishing the desired results, however, it will be apparent that other methods can be adopted, and that other types of springs can be utilized without departing from the original inventive concept.

The device, which is actually a combination skimmer, scoop and scraper, can be used to skim floating trash ofi the surface of the water in the usual manner, it can be used as a filter scoop for removing submerged and suspended material, and also to scrape trash from the bottom ofthe pool. This last feature is especially important as lt enablesl a pool to be maintained in a clean condition with a minimum of time and efiort.

When used on the bottom of a pool, the weight of the device is carried bythe rollers, and with the exception of the leading edge of the scraper lip, they are the only parts of the device that come into contact with the surface of the pool. Also,.due tothe angle established by the relative diameters 'of rollers, common axis of rota- -tion and pivoting, and wldth'oi the seraping'lip, and which angle is yicldingiy and resiliently maintained by the action of the torsion springs, all possibility of seufflng or abrading of the pool surface is precluded. This particular arrangement of rollers and pivotally mounted scrap-lip ensures that the lip will always be presented to the pool bottom at the most effective angle to positively pick up all types of trash, by sliding in under it instead of pushing it away.

Materials of construction obviously will be used that are most suitable for the purposes as outlined, and the screen material should be light and flexible enough to allow the unrestricted, relatively slight pivotal movement of the scraping element.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a swimming pool cleaning device that will greatly decrease the time and effort necessary to maintain pools in the desired clean condition. and while l have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the BEST AVAILABLE COPY invention, it will be understood that modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

-I claim:

1. A swimming pool cleaning device comprising a frame having a front end, a screen mounted within said frame, rolling means mounted on said frame at the front end thereof, and scraping means pivotally mounted at the front end of said frame and extending forwardly therefrom.

2. A device as in claim 1 having spring means adapted to maintain said scraping means at its lowest extended position.

3. A device as in claim 1 wherein said rolling means and said scraping means are mounted on a common axis.

4. A device as in claim 1 having a torsion spring, said torsion spring adapted to maintain said scraper means at its lowest extended position.' said rolling means and said scraping means all being mounted on a common axis.

5. A swimming pool cleaning device comprising a substantially rectangular frame having a handle mounted on its rear end, and being open at its front end, a cross member pivotally mounted on said frame at the open end thereof, a screen secured to said frame and being attached to said cross member whereby the entire opening bounded by said frame and said cross member is vered; a roller mounted at each front corner of said frame, a scraping lip mounted on said cross member and extending forwardly therefrom, and spring means adapted to resiliently urge said scraping lip in a forward and downward direction.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 578,354 6/46 Great Britain. 599,030 3/48 Great Britain.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SWIMMING POOL CLEANING DEVICE COMPRISING A FRAME HAVING A FRONT END, A SCREEN MOUNTED WITHIN SAID FRAME, ROLLING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AT THE FRONT END THEREOF, AND SCRAPING MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT THE FRONT END OF SAID FRAME AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY THEREFROM. 